Adam J. West

“That was excruciating!” We hear this statement from individuals, or from ourselves at times, after suffering an injury like breaking a bone, hammering an ill-placed thumb rather than a nail, or stubbing a big toe on the bedpost while stumbling our way through a darkened bedroom. But we might ask, “Excruciating… really?”

Question: What do a stained cloth, the vague semblances of a man’s face and body, sacramental belief, and relic worship all have in common? Answer: They’re all connected to the mysterious—and controversial—Shroud of Turin. Just what is this item that some worship as a venerated religious relic?